We are investigating the development of a rapid and highly sensitive detection method for immunoreactive substances combining MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) technology and the appropriate immune stimulant or response factors. Cantilevers of micrometer scale can be used for trace detection of mass change. When a layer of an antigenic substance is covalently deposited, the cantilever is capable of capturing antibodies from samples with high affinity and specificity. The antigen/antibody binding causes multiple physical changes in the cantilever device, including a shift of effective mass and a change in surface tension. The change of effective mass consequently induces a shift in the cantilever’s natural resonant frequency. By monitoring these changes with an optical readout mechanism, the presence of immunoreactive targets in the sample can be detected. This detection method can be used for various types of targets with immunoreactivity and therefore is potentially applicable in hazardous substance monitoring and disease diagnosis. In our effort, phoS1, an antigen shed by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), is utilized for rapid and economic TB detection.
KEYWORDS: Imaging systems, Digital imaging, Cameras, Signal detection, Luminescence, Acquisition tracking and pointing, Optical testing, CMOS sensors, Sensors, Analytical research
Tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading cause of death in the world from a single infectious disease, and the threat is becoming more critical with the spread of multi-drug resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB). TB detection, and susceptibility testing for drug resistant strain identification, is advancing with the development of Luciferase Reporter Mycobacteriophages (LRM). LRM will emit visible light at very low intensity when in the presence of live mycobacteria cells such as Tuberculosis strains. InterScience, Inc., together with its collaboration, is developing a highly sensitive, real-time digital detection system for the analysis of luminescent assays. Recent advances in system sensitivity, design, and implementation, as well as preliminary results of the development of individual test cartridges, will be presented. The ultimate goal of this work is to provide a versatile luminescence detection tool for widespread research and clinical applications.
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